Shoe ornamentation

ABSTRACT

THERE IS DISCLOSED A WALKING SHOE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH ORNAMENTATION IS VISIBLE WHICH ORNAMENTATION IS INTENDED TO MATCH OR COMPLEMENT THE COSTUME OF THE WEARER. IN SOME CASES THE SOLE HAS A FRAME WITH AN OPENING THERETHROUGH. THE FRAME MAY BE OF PLASTIC OR OF METAL. IT MAY BE DETACHABLY SECURED TO THE SHOE BY ADHESIVE, BY ADHESIVE STRIPS, OR BY MEANS OF APPROPRIATE HOOKS. SECURED TO THE FRAME SO AS TO SHOW THROUGH THE OPENING IS A PATCH WHICH MAY BE OF CLOTH, PLASTIC, FLEXIBLE METAL OR OTHER APPROPRIATE MATERIAL WHICH IS OF A COLOR AND/OR DESIGN TO MATCH OR COMPLEMENT THE COLOR AND/OR DESIGN OF THE COSTUME OF THE WEARER OF THE SHOE. IN ONE EMBODIMENT, A PATCH OF CLOTH IS HELD REMOVABLY IN THE FRAME BY A RESILIENT PATCH OF PLASTIC WHICH SPRINGS INTO, AND IS HELD, IN POCKET FORMED IN THE BACK OF THE FRAME. IN SUCH CASE, THE PATCH OF CLOTH IS PREFERABLY HELD TO THE RESILIENT PLASTIC PATCH BY ADHESIVE, ALTHOUGH IT MAY IF DESIRED BE MERELY CLAMPED IN PLACE BY THE SPRING OF THE RESILIENT PATCH. ALTERNATIVELY, THE UPPER OF THE SHOE MAY ITSELF BE FORMED WITH AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH A PATCH IS VISIBLE.

r1971 J A. CUNNINGHAM 3,564,736

SHOE ORNAMEN TAT ION Filed Nov. 14, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v we 2 IN VISN'I'OR. JOY A. CUNNINGHAM AfToRNEY Feb. 23, 1971 J. A. CUNNINGHAM 3,564,736

SHOE ORNAMENTATION Filed Nov. 14, 1968 I ,2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG4 m VIiN'I'OR. FIG 7 JOY cummemm jvww. 42. ,5

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,564,736 SHOE ORNAMENTATION Joy A. Cunningham, 5680 Reynoldsburg-Baltimore Road, Pickerington, Ohio 43147 Filed Nov. 14, 1968, Ser. No. 775,700 Int. Cl. A43b 00/00 US. Cl. 361 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is disclosed a walking shoe for an individual provided with an opening through which ornamentation is visible which ornamentation is intended to match or complement the costume of the wearer. In some cases the shoe has a frame with an opening therethrough. The frame may be of plastic or of metal. It may be detachably secured to the shoe by adhesive, by adhesive strips, or by means of appropriate hooks. Secured to the frame so as to show through the opening is a patch which may be of cloth, plastic, flexible metal or other appropriate material which is of a color and/ or design to match or complement the color and/or design of the costume of the wearer of the shoe. In one embodiment, a patch of cloth is held removably in the frame by a resilient patch of plastic which springs into, and is held in, a pocket formed in the back of the frame. In such case, the patch of cloth is preferably held to the resilient plastic patch by adhesive, although it may if desired be merely clamped in place by the spring of the resilient patch. Alternatively, the upper of the shoe may itself be formed with an opening through which a patch is visible.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION My invention relates to footwear and ornaments therefor.

Individuals (especially Women) who are conscious of their appearance prefer to have their shoes match or complement their dress, suit, or other costume. In order to do this, they often find it necessary to purchase many, many pairs of shoes, which practice becomes excessively expensive when the individual has many different costumes. Space also becomes an important factor even in the home. However, when travelling, space becomes even more important. If a woman is travelling with several costumes, except for my invention, she would have to carry also a pair of shoes for each costume if she desires to have the shoes match the costumes.

There is, therefore, need of means to convert the ornamentation of shoes so that the shoes may match or complement the costume of the wearer regardless of the color of the shoes themselves.

This problem was recognized by Jennie Lanfbahn who secured Pat. 3,154,866. The solution proposed by this inventor was, however, complicated and expensive, inasmuch as she proposed to remove and substitute an entirely new upper. Kixmiller et al. Pat. 3,099,884 is quite simliar, showing a flexible detachable upper C. Liebman 3,221,421 shows an entirely separate outer skin for the upper which is subject to the same objections as Lanfbahn and Kixmiller. Bechtold 1,124,585 and apparently Keevers 1,781,014 show shoe buckles with ribbon pulled through either under or over a central bar. Such an arrangement requires that the bow be tailored or the bow will have a home made look. The Bechtold arrangement is similar to pinning a bow on the shoe. Singer 1,048,105 shows a buckle with a complicated bar 9 provided for attempting to hold a filler piece, usually of the same material as the shoes, in position.

3,564,736 Patented Feb. 23, 1971 ice Objects It is therefore an object of my invention to provide inexpensive uncomplicated means to transform the appearance of shoes, including their ornamentation, regardless of the color or shade of the shoe itself, to a color or shade which matches or complements the costume of the wearer.

A further object of my invention is the provision of means comprising a frame secured to a shoe and a flexible patch (which matches or complements the costume of the wearer but which may be easily removed so as to substitute another patch of a different shade, color, or design, to match or complement a different costume), the patch being removably and easily secured to the frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide a similar combination of a frame and patch in which the frame is detachably secured to the shoe and the patch is detachably secured to the frame.

A further object of the invention is the provision of shoe ornamentation for matching or complementing the costume of a wearer of a shoe, comprising a frame formed with an opening and secured to the shoe, in combination with an ornamental patch of a color complementing the costume of the wearer and removably secured to the frame so as to show through the opening of the frame.

Further objects and features of my invention will be apparent from the following specification and claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating several embodiments of my invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I have found that these and other advantageous objects may be attained in several ways. For instance, I may provide a frame formed with an opening and secured to a shoe in combination with an ornamental patch of a color complementing the costume of the wearer, removably secured to the frame so as to show through the opening of the frame.

More particularly, these objects may be attained by a frame secured either permanently or detachably to a shoe having an opening through the face thereof, in combination with a patch either of cloth or plastic, or of both, removably secured to the frame so as to show through the opening, and having a color, shade, or design either complementing or matching the color, shade, or design of the costume of the wearer. Alternatively, I may provide an opening through the upper of the shoe and detachably secure an appropriate patch to the inside of the upper in position to be visible through the opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a ladys shoe or sandal having permanently formed through the top thereof adjacent to the toe an opening through which there shows a patch of cloth;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a ladys shoe having secured to the upper surface a detachable frame having an opening through which'there shows a patch of appropriate color, shade, or design;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the frame of FIG. 2, shown separated from the shoe and with the patch in place but having a portion thereof broken away in order to indicate the opening;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the embodiment of the frame and patch shown in FIGS. 2. and 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the embodiment 0 FIG. 4, taken substantially on the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 5, but showing a different embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a shoe constituting still another embodiment; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

In describing the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1, I have shown a shoe provided with a sole 11, and an upper 12. The upper 12 is formed with an opening 13. Visible through the opening is a cloth patch 14 which is secured to the underside of the opening :by a fastening such as for example an adhesive strip having adhesive on each side, or by Scotch tape, or by a Velcro fastening which consists of complementary synthetic resin woven material, one on the surface of the under side of the upper and one on the surface of a flange running around the outside of the cloth patch. One of these surfaces is provided with outwardly facing flexible pile loops and the other of the surfaces is provided with relatively stiff flexible pile hooks. Thus the cloth patch 14 is secured firmly, but is easily removable from the underside of the upper 12 while there is little danger of accidental displacement.

In FIG. 2, I have shown a shoe 20 having a sole 21 and an upper 22. Secured to the top of the upper 22 is frame 23 having an opening 24. The frame is also shown possibly more clearly in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5.

The frame 23 is bowed or formed as an arch as shown in FIG. 5. It is also formed with a framing flange 25 and a perpendicular retaining flange 26. Both are formed adjacent the periphery of the frame 23. It is also formed with resilient hooks 27 by which it is attached securely, but detachably, to the upper 22 of the shoe. A patch 28 is removably secured in the pocket formed at the intersection of the flanges 25 and 26. The frame 25 may be formed of metal or other material, but I prefer that it be formed of a rigid plastic (i.e. a rigid synthetic resin of appropriate composition).

The patch 28 is also formed of a suitable material such as metal or plastic (synthetic resin). It is more flexible than the metal or resin of frame 25 and is also thinner so that it may be flexed or arched in the opposite manner to its arch, as shown in FIG. 5, and inserted in the pocket formed in the back of the frame 23. Then being arched in the opposite direction into the shape shown in FIG. 5, it snaps into place and is held securely, but removably, in the pocket formed in the back of the frame 23.

The patch 28 is colored to match or complement the costume of the wearer. It is often of a pastel shade. For example, the patch may be of light blue or other similar pastel shade.

In FIG. 6, there is shown a preferred modification. Therein, the frame 23 is the same as frame 23 of FIGS. 2-5, inclusive. The patch 28 is substantially identical with the patch 28 of FIGS. 2-5. Interposed, however, between the frame 23 and the patch 28 is a cloth patch 29 which is visible through the opening 24. The cloth patch 29 matches (or possibly complements) the costume of the wearer. The cloth patch may be held firmly and smoothly in place by the resiliency of the resin patch 28. However, I prefer that the cloth patch be removably attached to the upper side of the resilient patch 28 :by some appropriate type of adhesive. This may be, if desired, any suitable adhesive but is preferably a flexible strip having adhesive on both sides such as is commercially available.

In FIGS. 7 and 8, an alternative embodiment is illustrated. There is shown a shoe 30 provided with a sole 31 and an upper 32. The upper 32 is formed with an opening 33, and beneath the upper 32 is a pocket formed by a flap 34 secured on three sides to the under side of the upper but having the trailing edge (i.e. the edge toward the rear of the shoe) unclosed so that a cloth patch 38 may be insert- 4 ed and securely held in the pocket so that the patch 38 is visible through the opening 33. I prefer also to secure a small portion of the patch 38 to the upper or to flap 34 by securing means similar to that described in connection with patch 29. I prefer also that the patch 38 shall complement or preferably match the costume of the wearer.

It is to be understood that while the detailed drawings and the detailed description thereof describe preferred embodiments of my invention, they are for the purposes of illustration only, that the apparatus of the invention is not limited to the precise details and conditions disclosed, and that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention which is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe ornamentation for matching or complementing the costume of the wearer of the shoe, comprising a frame formed with an opening and attached securely but detachably to the shoe; and

an ornamental patch of a color matching or complementing the costume of the wearer removably secured to the frame so as to show through the opening of the frame,

where both the frame and the patch are of synthetic resin; and

wherein the frame is removably secured to the shoe by resilient clips and the patch is removably secured to the frame.

2. A shoe ornamentation for matching or complementing the costume of the wearer of the shoe, comprising a synthetic resin frame formed with an opening and removably secured to the shoe; and

an ornamental synthetic resin patch of a color matching or complementing the costume of the wearer removably secured to the frame so as to show through the opening of the frame,

where the resin of the frame is relatively rigid and the frame is curved to form an arch, and where the patch is formed of a more resilient and flexible resin which when arched in one direction may be inserted in or removed from the frame, but which when inserted in the frame and stressed in the opposite direction springs into the frame and is removably held therein by the resiliency of said patch.

3. A shoe oramenation for matching or complementing the costume of the wearer of the shoe, comprising a frane formed with an opening and secured to the shoe; an

an ornamental patch of a color matching or complementing the costume of the wearer removably secured to the frame so as to show through the opening of the frame,

wherein there is provided a resilient clamping patch and there is clamped between the frame and the resilient patch a patch of cloth material which shows through the opening in the frame.

4. A shoe provided with an upper and having an opening in said upper and provided with means for matching or complementing the costume of the wearer of the shoe, said means comprising a patch removably secured to the upper beneath the opening so that the patch is visible through the opening,

wherein the patch is cloth and is secured to the underside of the upper by complementing synthetic resin woven material surfaces, one such surface being formed on the edges of the cloth patch and one such surface being provided with flexible outstanding loops, and the other having raised pile threads having hooks on their outer ends.

5. A shoe ornamentation for matching or complementing the costume of the wearer of the shoe, comprising a frame formed with an opening and removably secured to the shoe; and

an ornamental patch of a color matching or complementing the costume of the wearer removably secured to the frame so as to show through the opening of the frame,

wherein the frame is relatively rigid and is curved to form an arch, and where the patch is formed of a more resilient and flexible material which when arched in one direction may be inserted in or removed from the frame, but which when inserted in the frame and stressed in the opposite direction springs into the frame and is removably held therein by the resiliency of said patch.

6. The structure of claim 5, wherein a flange is formed at opposite ends of the frame, each flange having an inner surface approximately perpendicular to the frame against which the ends of the patch seat.

7. A shoe provided with an upper and having an opening in said upper extending through said upper and provided with means for matching or complementing the costume of the wearer of the shoe, said means comprising a patch removably and replaceably secured to the upper beneath the opening so that the patch is visible through the openin which there is provided a pocket on the underside of the upper, the pocket comprising a flap lining for said shoe which is secured to the underside of the upper by an adhesive and the patch is secured to the upper by insertion in said pocket.

8. A shoe provided with an upper and having an opening in said upper extending through said upper and provided with means for matching or complementing the costume of the wearer of the shoe, said means comprising a patch removably and replaceably secured to the upper beneath the opening so that the patch is visible through the opening,

in which there is provided a pocket on the underside of the upper, the pocket comprising a flap lining for said shoe which is secured to the underside of the upper by complementing synthetic resin woven material surfaces, one such surface being formed on the edges of the lining and the other such surface being formed on the under side of the upper, and one such surface being provided with flexible outstanding loops, and the other having raised pile threads having hooks on their outer ends, and the patch is secured to the upper by insertion in said pocket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,478,468 12/1923 Binns et al. 36-1 1,549,267 8/1925 Kennedy 36-1 1,952,409 3/1934 Berg 361X 2,801,477 8/1957 Adams et al. 36-45X PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner 

